Remi Niero Condrieu Heritage 2018

Niero Condrieu Chery is 100 percent Viognier.

Truly aromatic explosive expression, this wonderful vintage makes one appreciate both its richness and complexity. 
its full and savory taste in the mouth together with a beautiful mineraltaste drives us to a lasting and generous final taste.

The grapes are coming from a 0.8 hectare (2 acres) vineyard. 
The terroirs is made of decomposed granite soil on the slopes of the famous hillside of "Chéry". 
Vines are 30 years old on average.

Pair with sweetbreads cooked with morels, grilled white fish with green asparagus' risotto, veal chop, Japanese food.

Review:

"Lastly, and up with the crème de la crème of the appellation, the 2016 Condrieu Chéry is about as textbook as it gets. Apricots, buttered citrus, flowers, and an undeniable minerality all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, layered, multi-dimensional beauty that carries tons pure fruit, yet stays balanced and pure. Bravo!"

- Jeb Dunnuck (Northern Rhône: The Blockbuster 2015s and Elegant 2016s, January 2018), 96 pts

Chartron et Trebuchet Hautes Mourottes Ladoix Premier Cru  is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Ladoix AOC: This AOC (LADOIX) is about 75 % red and 25 % white wine from the commune of Ladoix-Serrigny (Ladoix is old French for “the source”). 11 premier Cru’s, with a production is 33,000 cases of red to 12,500 cases of Blanc. Location is very near the Grand Cru’s of Corton and Corton-Charlemagne.

Tasting Notes:The white wine here is toasty, smoky, with a complex, mineral and long lemony finish……4-6 year aging wine. Ladoix blanc is somewhat rare, and we are only importing 25 cases …

VINEYARD: Rocky and reddish limestone and enough marl to make it ideal for white wines.

Plantations: ----- vines / hectare. 
Yield: -- hectoliters / hectare.

HARVEST: Harvest by hand.

VINIFICATION: Traditional vinification. The grapes are pressed immediately upon arrival at the winery in pneumatic presses. The alcoholic fermentation is carried out in oak barrels, 20% new oak. The wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels with regular stirring to gain depth and complexity.

AGEING: The wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels with regular stirring to gain depth and complexity.

Its freshness and finesse allow it to be enjoyed as an aperitif. It also pairs well with white meat and sauce. At the sea side, it will be perfect with a plate of shellfish (lobster, scallops) steamed or poached or noble fish just fried, grilled or steamed. Cheeses: Goat cheese, Beaufort Comté, Emmental...

Review:

"Fresh notes of chalk and lemon beckon from the glass, clothed in subtle smoke. The gentleness continues on the palate where Mirabelle fruit has an inviting streak of lemon. The ripeness of 2018 is expressed in the warm finish, but overall this is a very balanced, fresh wine. - Anne KREBIEHL MW"
- Wine Enthusiast (July 2020), 90 pts

Domaine Tollot-Beaut Les Vercots Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru 2018 is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

Tollot-Beaut's Les Vercots Premier Cru is rustic and robust with aromas and flavors of red cherries, spice, and earth with substantial weight and ripe tannins.

Red Burgundy might be the world's most flexible food wine. The wine's high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.

Review:

Marked by alluring black cherry and violet aromas and flavors, this red also has intensity and structure. Iron, earth and spice elements add depth. Has a nice silkiness to offset the light burr of tannins on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2035.

-Wine Spectator 93 Points

Seña is an authentic Chilean blend made from the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot varieties. The Carmenere variety adds an evident Chilean personality to the wine.

COMPOSITION: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec 15% Carmenere, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot WINEMAKER’S NOTES “Of a deep violet red colour, the complexity on the nose conceals its many subtleties, unfolding floral notes alongside red and black fruits, denoting its distinctive freshness. Several layers are unveiled delivering notes of cedar, tobacco, bitter chocolate and truffles. An elegant, tense and yet very attractive wine, it generously offers fresh and juicy fruit that reminds of blueberries, raspberries, some spices and Cuban cigar box notes. Above all, Seña 2018 is a truly captivating wine that accomplishes a unique balance between power and elegance. I believe we are beholding one of the greatest vintages ever crafted in the 25 years of Seña’s history.”

An iconic decision is made from the heart. Following the sign of his intuition, in 1995 Eduardo Chadwick pioneered a joint venture with Robert Mondavi to handcraft a world-class Chilean wine. Chadwick searched alongside Mondavi for four long years before finding the ideal terroir in Chile’s Valle de Aconcagua that spoke to their instincts. Seña is the culmination of their vision – an expression of consummate quality and character.

Review:

This is a very thoughtful Seña that shows unique aromas of warm earth, mushrooms and conifer, turning to dark berries and black olives. The palate is more glamorous with ultra-fine tannins that envelop your palate. Shows power and vibrancy at the end. Toned muscles. It’s a very intellectual wine that harkens back to the 2015. Blend of 55% cabernet sauvignon, 18% malbec, 15% carmenere, 7% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. - James Suckling  100 Points

Chateau d'Etroyes Mercurey Rouge Premier Cru Clos l'Eveque is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

The "Clos l'Evêque" was in the XVIII century  the best vineyard in Mercurey. It belonged to the Bishopric of Chalon-sur-Saône, near Mercurey, and the wine was used for the bishop' receptions as well as for the masses (only the best wine could be served to God). In French "Evêque" means Bishop. It is also called a "Clos" because the vines used to be surrounded by a wall. Some parts of it still remain.

Lovely garnet color, medium intensity, limpid and bright, beautiful tears. The nose, clean and elegant, evokes ripe red and black fruits, rapsberry, cherry, blackberry, blueberry; the aeration is enriched by fine woody notes, roasted coffee, cocoa and a hint of licorice. The palate is ample, full, round and fleshy with a fruity expression of a beautiful purity; the evolution shows a fine substance, silky tannins supported by the freshness; the whole, perfectly balanced, presents a long torrefied finish on sweet spices.

From the 1er Cru "Clos l'Eveque", situated in the Northern part of the Mercurey village.

Harvesting is done manually and in crates to avoid trituration and bursting of the berries. The grapes are totally de-stemmed and put into tanks at low temperature for 3 days minimum. The maximum fruit is extracted. Pumping and some light pigeages will allow us to extract the coloring matter and tannins, which will promise us a good aging. The fermentation temperature will rise gradually to more than 30°C in order to stabilize the color. Once the sugars are finished, about 15 days minimum, maceration ends in closed tank for the final outcome of the wine.

The juice from the vat will be drawn off, then the solid material will be pressed into a pneumatic press and will be added in small touches to the free-run juice. After settling of the juice for 24 hours, the wines are intoned for aging in oak barrels for a period of 11 months. Malolactic fermentation will gradually start and will end in barrels.

Pairs with Beautiful meats (roast beef) and cheese.  After the wine has aged, it can also be served with game.

Review:

"The toast, tar and licorice notes of oak play on the nose of this wine, obscuring the cherry fruit. Ripe, juicy dark cherry and a vein of freshness show on the palate as the oak notes recede and form a backdrop along with firm but fine tannin. The finish is balanced, rounded and juicy. Anne KREBIEHL MW"
- Wine Enthusiast (December 2020), 92 pts

Nicolas Potel Domaine de Bellene Beaune Premier Cru Vieilles Vignes Hommage a Francoise Potel is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

A blend of five premier cru climats, this homage to Nicolas Potel’s late mother has a lovely and engaging aroma that combines delicate floral nuances with finely structured dark cherry and blueberry fruit. Even some cranberry emerges on the superbly focused mid-palate. A very elegant wine, with fine length.

Review:

- Wine Spectator 92 Points